Shoes for golfers



1958 J. H. SCHLESINGER 2,847,769

SHQES FOR GOLFERS Filed March 8, 1956 United States Patent 9 SHOES FOR GOLFERS Joseph H. Schlesinger, New York, N. Y., assignor to Eagle Chemical Co., New York, N. Y.

Application March 8, 1956, Serial No. 570,354

3 Claims. (Cl. 362.5)

The present invention relates to means for a golfer to obtain the correct position when he is taking a stance for his golf swing, and particularly takes the form of what the player is to stand on in order to obtain such correct position. The teachings of this invention may be incorporated in shoe structure to be worn by the golfer.

It is widely recognized in the play of golf that the essence of good golfing depends largely on the position, commonly referred to as footwork in the parlance of the art. The following quote is given from the writings of a golf authority, viz:

When taking a stance for a golf swing, the weight is to be back through the heels. You should never feel that the weight is forward on your feet if you have taken up the correct position. The knees are flexed and bent in towards each other. The type of stance you take on any shot, provide a good firm footing. You should be anchored firmly to the ground. It enables the player to strike the more powerful blow required to get the most out of the clubs, when playing a tee shot, a fairway wood shot or a long iron.

It is therefore the principal object of this invention to provide novel and improved means to automatically compel a golfer to assume the correct position when taking his stance, so that effective footwork is acquired for proficient performance.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved means to compel the correct position when taking a stance, of the character as described, so that the player need have no thought or ever be fidgety as to whether his position for the play is correct, because the action of the means involving this invention, is automatic in compelling the correct golf position to be assumed by experts or novices at golfing.

A further object thereof is to provide novel and improved position compelling means for golfers, of the nature set forth, which isreasonably cheap to manufacture, easy to use, positive in action and eificient in carrying out the purposes for which it is designed.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this disclosure proceeds.

For the practice of this invention, the planes for the players feet to stand on, shall be deemed described with.

respect to level ground. Also that the player can hold his feet apart a distance, or close to each other, depending upon the requirements in the use of his clubs. In playing position, the resting planes in the means I provide, slope downwardly to heel region and are in inward downwardly convergent relation. The rearward slopes will cause his entire weight to be transposed back through the heel region and simultaneously, the inward slopes will cause his knees to bend towards each other and be flexed. All this, provides for the correct footwork in golfing.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

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Fig. 1 shows the outermost side of a right shoe embodying the teachings of this invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken at lines 2-2 in Fig. 1; such section being alsothat taken at lines 3-3 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a view like Fig. l, but of a modified form.

Fig. 4 shows'the other side of the shoe of Fig. 1. This view may be also deemed the other side of the shoe of Fig. 3 in position when in use, as will be explained.

Fig. 5 is a rear view of the shoe of Fig. 3 when in use.

Fig. 6 is a geometric representation shown in perspective, which will be used in explaining this invention.

Fig. 7 shows the front of a player wearing shoes incorporating this invention, in the position he is compelled to assume.

Fig. 8 is a side view of the player shown in Fig. 7.

In the drawings, the numeral 15 designates the right shoe and 16 its left mate. The underparts of these shoes are such that when the shoes rest on level ground, side by side, the planes of the insoles slant downward toward heel region and are in downward convergent relation symmetrical with ground plane, in the manner as are the upper planes 18 and 19 of the blocks 20 and 21. The insole of shoe 15 is indicated by the numeral 17. The construction of both shoes is of course identical, except that one is right and the other left. In shoe 16, the insole slants downward from left to right of the player, while insole 17 of the shoe 15, slants downward from right to left of the player; the slopes being equal but opposite.

So that a person wearing said shoes be able to walk conveniently and maneuver in play, the forward part 23 of the soles are upwardly rounded as shown in Fig. 1. The build-up parts 23, 23 of the respective soles may be made and sold separate, in one piece or in sections, for attachment to the outsoles 24, 24' respectively of any ordinary pair of golf shoes from which the heels are removed, or may be sold already attached to an auxiliary outsole. Such would convert any ordinary pair of shoes to an embodiment of this invention. The underside of the portions 23, 23 may be denticulated in any desired design and if desired, may be provided with downwardly extending cleats commonly used in golf shoes, but not shown herein. The build-up attachments to the outsoles may be of leather, rubber or other suitable materials.

The mentioned correct position of the player accomplished by this invention is shown in Figs. 7 and 8. Fig. 7 particularly shows the player with his knees bent in towards each other and hence flexed. In Fig. 8, the player is shown in position with his weight directed back through the heel region. The players position is of course the composite of both these figures.

With the use of this invention, the accomplishment of correct position for his footwork is automatically and positively secured and requires no special efiort. The player is thus given freedom to concentrate on other movements for his play.

The shoe 25 shown in Fig. 3, is of a modified construction. Its left mate is not shown. What is said of one applies equally to the other, except that one is right and the other left. As previously mentioned, Fig. 2 may be deemed a section taken at lines 33 in Fig. 3. The build-up portion 26 of the sole of the shoe 25, slopes the insole inwardly downwardly towards the left shoe, but while said shoe 15 stands alone by itself, meaning it is not on the players foot, there is no slope or any appreciable slope downwardly towards heel region. Line B which is lengthwise of the insole is practically parallel to ground line G. The forward portion 26' of the sole is curved upwardly to facilitate walking and other foot movements. As shown in Fig. 3, the undersurface of the heel region slopes upwardly rearwardly as at 26 and downwardly inwardly towards the left shoe as shown by line C. Heel region is oif the ground in the position of shoe 25 as is shown in Fig. 3. The upper surface of the insole (as 17) at heel region, is of course in the same plane as the whole insole, which slopes downwardly inwardly towards the left shoe.

However, when the pair of shoes of the construction as 25 are worn, a player getting into position for play, will cause heel region to come down. This causes the plane of each insole to slope downwardly rearwnrdly in conjunction with the existing downward inward convergence of the insole planes caused by the build-up portions 26, the player will automatically assume the correct position for golf play indicated by the Figs. 7 and 8 compositely, as already explained. To be particularly noted is that the weight of the player is automatically transposed from the forward part of the foot, back through heel region along the facing sides of the heel regions which touch the ground when the heel regions are downward. Further to be noted, is that the inwardly sloping convergent downward planes contact the ground wherever the anatomy of the soles of the feet would contact the ground. The built-up position 26' extends along the length of the shoe. When the sole of the shoe of Fig. 3 standing alone, is on a horizontal plane, its heel portion has no contact with the ground, or the shoe can be made so that it has at heel region, a constant contact with the ground as in Fig. 1. As the player stands in the shoe of Fig. 3, the instant when contact of the heel of his foot will press the heel region of the shoe which was ofl the ground, down to the ground, automatically his weight will be transposed from the front part of his feet back through his heels, thus creating a firm anchored position with the ground, as described and required in the footwork of golfing.

Also to be noted, is that the inwardly downwardly sloping planes upon which the player stands, causes his legs to slope upwardly towards each other whereby a firm resistance against the impact is effected and thus a firm A contact to ground is obtained. All slopes mentioned, when the shoes are in use at taking the position for play, whether those of Fig. l or Fig. 3, cooperate to compel assumption of the correct position for play.

The construction created for the sole of a golf shoe to have a space between the heel portions and the ground, which shoes when worn and pressed downward on their heel regions to contact the ground as the shoes of Fig. 3, and the creation of the shoes as in Fig. l, where the heel portions are in contact with the ground, as well as the cooperative action of the upper surfaces sloping in downward convergent relation, are novel and eflicient contributions to this art for obtaining a rearward transposition of the weight of the player through the heel regions of the feet and to properly bend the knees for creating a firm anchorage with the ground.

This invention is capable of numerous forms and various applications without departing from the essential features herein disclosed. It is therefore intended and desired that the embodiments shown herein shall be deemed illustrative and not restrictive and that the patent shall cover all patentable novelty herein set forth; reference being had to the following claims rather than to the specific description herein to indicate the scope of this invention.

1 claim:

1. In a shoe for aiding a golfer to assume the correct foot position for play, a bottom member, the inner side portion of whose upper surface is lower than its outer side portion; the rear end portion of such surface, being lower than any portion forward thereof, when said rear end portion is stood on.

2. The shoe as defined in claim 1, wherein the rear end portion of the underside of the bottom member slopes rearwardly upwardly.

3. The shoe as defined in claim 2, wherein the rear end portion of the underside of the bottom member also slopes upwardly from the outer to the inner side edge of the bottom member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,776,750 Burns Sept. 23, 1930 2,135,504 Hack Nov. 8, 1938 2,160,238 Turner May 30, 1939 2,216,630 Sabel Oct. 1, 1940 2,482,930 Norwood Sept. 27, 1949 2,518,649 Tydings Aug. 15, 1950 2,519,613 Urban Aug. 22, 1950 2,725,648 Kirk Dec. 6, 1955 2,769,252 Monier Nov. 6, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 8472/1932 Australia Nov. 4, 1932 OTHER REFERENCES Master Shoe Rebuilder, vol. XIII, No. 1, January 1953; page 16. (Copy in Div. 11.) 

